Isn’t it about time, ladies and gentlemen, the six and a half decades old dispute is put to an end? Isn’t it about time, the generations get an identity? Isn’t it about time, the oppressed people get reward for their suffering? Isn’t it about time, the orphans see the blood of their fathers being rendered useful? Isn’t it about time, the lonely widows and half-widows get surrounded by the emotions of satisfaction? Isn’t it about time, the raped women get justice?
Isn’t it about time, Kashmiris get the right of self determination?
Indifferent and deaf though India has been, for decades, towards all the low-pitched voices rising from different corners of the valley, now and then, the voices of the oppressed demanding their rights, but the tactic will not work anymore. Those powerless voices of then have grown strong now – their pitch and frequency increased. Not only have the sources of the slogans immensely increased in number, the number of listeners have too. And what made this wave rise again was the energetic boost given by the release of MasratAlam – a former freedom fighter.
Since his release, a new thrill has been seen flaming to height in the hearts of Kashmiris. Instead of sitting at homes, compromising on their freedom, more precisely: giving up, Kashmiris have decided to give it a go and once again stand up for their rights! The brave souls of the valley have decided to tread upon a very dull, dark and vague path but this path, like a dark tunnel, leads to light. In the leadership of Syed Ali Shah Geelani, MasratAlam and other separatist leaders, the people have fearlessly chosen their destiny to be the right of self-determination.
I’ve not, even once, used the word ‘freedom’ but ‘self-determination’. Because, I believe, freedom doesn’t just come from the illegal occupant vacating a land, the real freedom comes from deep with in, it comes from freeing your soul of fear! The people who’ve chosen to stand up for their rights have already, by all standards, become free. They have known the taste of freedom because their mind and heart is free of fear, and mind you, fear is the worst occupant.
So, Kashmir has risen. The people have woken up. The slogans have been raised, the flags hoisted. The only nation that has to wake up in connection to this, now, is India. Indians need to open their ears, heads and hearts and realize the severity of the situation. They need to see it, not just as a crowd demanding their rights from the world’s biggest democracy ( this makes me laugh, hah!), but as a psychological war that Kashmiris are winning, for sure. And what makes me say that, is Indians reaction to all this. They’re literally freaking out and going for the use of force – a tactic that is further weakening their stance. They must come to the realization that they’re losing this war of nerves and the more they use force, the quicker they’ll lose.
Martin Luther King said, “Unearned suffering is redemptive.”
Asma Rasool Peerzada
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